In The Loop: Upcoming Area Business Events

New York Congressman Charles Rangel visits Wilmington on Sept. 24 for the 2016 CELEBRATING THE DREAM, THE LYNDON BAINES JOHNSON PRESIDENTIAL LEGACY AWARDS DINNER GALA. The awards event, hosted by the Countywide Community Development Corporation, starts at 6:30 p.m. at the Wilmington Convention Center. Info: celebratingthedream.org

The U.S. Small Business Administration partners with UNCW’s CIE for a series of small business workshops called SBA ENTREPRENEURIAL ACADEMY through Nov. 7. Upcoming workshops focus on: “Personal and Commercial Credit Scoring” (Sept. 26); “337 Ways to Market for Greater Profits” (Oct. 10); and “SBA Alternative Loan Programs” (Oct. 24). Info: uncw.edu/cie

WILMA’s Women to Watch Leadership Initiative holds a half-day event of workshops and networking 1-6:30 p.m. Sept. 28 at the Wilmington Convention Center, 515 Nutt St. The LEADERSHIP ACCELERATOR event includes topics such as public speaking, branding and communication and board training. There also will be speed-mentoring sessions and a panel talk of area women leaders. Info: W2WLeadership.com

North Carolina’s gubernatorial candidates visit Wilmington on Sept. 30 for the Greater Wilmington Business Journal’s POWER BREAKFAST. State Attorney General Roy Cooper, the Democratic candidate, and Gov. Pat McCrory, Republican incumbent, share remarks at the event, which takes place 7:30-9:45 a.m. at the Wilmington Convention Center. Info: wilmingtonpowerbreakfast.com

500 Startsups cofounder Paul Singh’s North American TECH TOUR stops in Wilmington Oct. 4-6 for a local startup bootcamp with support of Network for Entrepreneurs in Wilmington, UNCW’s CIE and tekMountain. Topics include entrepreneur development as part of economic development, angel investing, fundraising and more. Info: nvite.com/RJTechTour/e3ee

The Investors Roundtable of Wilmington (IRT) hosts Terry A. Simpson, CFA and global investment strategist for BlackRock Investments, on Oct. 6 at the Country Club of Landfall. Simpson’s presentation is on “THE BLACKROCK LIST.” IRT is an educational forum to assist private investors in the management of their individual financial assets. It is not an investment club, and speakers don’t make sales presentations. The lunch starts at noon. Info: investors-roundtable.com

The Foreign Trade Promotion Council holds its third annual conference Oct. 12 and 13 in Wilmington. The event, themed “GLOBAL CONNECTIONS,” starts Oct. 12 at CFCC’s Union Station and includes topics such as the area’s new foreign trade zone designation, private sector trade financing, trade deals impacts and more. A day of training on international protocols is scheduled for Oct. 13 at UNCW. Info: ncftpc.com/ftpc-3rd-annual-conference

Wilmington Downtown Inc. hosts a panel talk Oct. 13 about downtown development as part of the group’s Downtown Economic Series. “DOWNTOWN’S CHANGING SKYLINE: A SIX-PACK OF PROJECTS” features Amy Beatty, Wade Hughes, Clark Hipp, Benjamin Long, Brooks Johnson, Beth Pancoe and Dave Spetrino. The panel discusses development trends for new housing, office and retail space in downtown Wilmington. The event starts at 5:30 p.m. at the Coastline Conference and Event Center. Info: wilmingtondowntown.com